The structures that are deployable in space, of solar generator type for example, generally consist of mutually articulated rigid panels, these panels being, in stored position stacked one on top of the other. These structures have the advantage of having a controlled kinematic but present the disadvantage of significant weight per unit of surface area and inertia. Furthermore, the rigid structures occupy, in stored position, a significant bulk under the nose cone of a launch vehicle. Since the space allotted to the deployable structures under the nose cone of a launch vehicle is limited, it is important to reduce the bulk of these deployable structures when they are in stored position so as to optimize the surface area thereof in deployed position.
In order to counter these drawbacks, it is known practice, notably from the document FR 2 998 876, to produce flexible solar generators which offer numerous competitive advantages over the rigid panels. In particular, they have a greater capacity for adjustment and offer an increase in the useful surface area in deployed position.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 8,894,017 describes a set of deployable solar generators articulated at the end of a mast fixed to a face of a satellite. Different segments supporting the flexible solar generators are mounted end-to-end and mutually articulated. However, in stored position, the segments supporting the flexible solar generators are not operational which necessitates adding a rigid solar panel, mounted on the mast, which, in stored position, comprises active solar cells oriented outward from the satellite to be able to power the satellite. Moreover, it is necessary to add means for steering the rigid solar panel to be able to use it also in deployed position. Furthermore, the deployment of the mast and the solar generators is performed sequentially, which necessitates several different controls for fully deploying all the deployable structure.